More than 170 people joined SERC Chile researchers to celebrate the launch of their new phase, which took place in the Honor Hall of the former National Congress in Santiago on the afternoon of Thursday, April 19.
Government authorities, the constituent universities and institutions of SERC Chile, representatives of strategic partner companies, and key energy sector institutions met to celebrate the success of the first period of the Fondap-Conicyt Center of Excellence (2013-2017) and to welcome this new phase (2018-2022), during which SERC Chile is committed to continuing its work in expanding the solar scientific community.
Due to a scheduled trip outside Santiago, the Minister of Energy, Susana Jiménez, sent a video greeting to SERC Chile. “I encourage you to move forward, contributing to the development of advanced human capital, cooperating in science, and effectively articulating with the private sector. The Ministry of Energy will keep its doors open so that, together, we can advance the energy modernization of our country,” she said.
The ceremony began with a presentation by the Director of SERC Chile, Rodrigo Palma, who provided a historical review of solar energy development in Chile, described the center's evolution, and reiterated a key concept for this new phase: contributing scientific knowledge to the sustainable development of the country through solar energy, given a solar resource of such magnitude that Chile could potentially export energy to all of Latin America.
The President of the Mining and Energy Committee of the Senate, Yasna Provoste, highlighted the collaboration within SERC Chile among eight public and private institutions that could help drive the growth leap the country requires. “Thank you very much for your work and much success in the future,” Senator Provoste stated.
Due to commitments abroad, the President of the Challenges of the Future Committee of the Senate, Guido Girardi, was unable to attend. “I want to congratulate this meeting and express my conviction that Chile has unique opportunities in the 21st century, closely tied to the work of SERC,” the senator said in a recorded greeting, referring to the importance of renewable energy research within the critical context of climate change.
On behalf of the Ministry of Economy, the Undersecretary of Economy, Ignacio Guerrero, emphasized the importance of establishing Chile as a global solar energy hub and offered collaboration to SERC Chile to work towards that purpose.
In his greeting, the President of Conicyt, Mario Hamuy, underscored the importance of SERC Chile continuing its solar energy research for a new period to support the country's sustainable development.

Rodrigo Mancilla, Executive Director of the Solar Committee, highlighted SERC Chile as a strategic partner in the design and creation of scientific and technological content for the Corfo Solar Program.
On behalf of the universities and institutions of SERC Chile, acknowledgments were extended to the Vice-rector of Administration and Finance of the University of Tarapacá, Alvaro Palma; the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Antofagasta, Marcos Crutchick; the Rector of the Federico Santa María Technical University, Darcy Fuenzalida; the Vice Rector for Research of the University of Chile, Flavio Salazar; the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the Adolfo Ibáñez University, Alejandro Jadresic; the Vice-rector for Research and Development of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Pedro Bouchon; the Vice-rector of Research and Development of the University of Concepción, Claudio Valdovinos; and the General Manager of Fraunhofer Chile, Joan Bosch. All highlighted the work conducted in the initial stage and expressed their best wishes for the new phase that SERC Chile begins now.
The ceremony culminated with a group photograph representing the support of SERC Chile, public institutions, academia, science, and private enterprise. The photograph includes representatives from the constituent universities and institutions; the academic council and advisory committees of SERC Chile; representatives of public institutions; and representatives from Conicyt and the center's partner companies in the Ayllu Solar and AtaMoS-TeC projects: the BHP Billiton Foundation, Cintac, Colbún, Syntec, Innova Renovable, and Solar Pro.